Rebuilt '69 Valiant front end
Nope. Raising the front end with the torsion bars will add more suspension travel, not reduce it. It will not change the ride quality at all, beyond the handling changes due to the raised center of gravity. And if anything, it will be easier on the lower control arm bushings, because they'll be further away from the frame and less likely to ever make contact.
Exactly so. The wheel rate does not change when you raise or lower the car with the torsion bar adjusters. The only thing that becomes a problem is if you lower the car too much for the spring rate of the torsion bars, so the reduced travel means you hit the bump stops more frequently. Which itself can be interpreted as a harsh ride, even though what really needs to happen is the torsion bars need to be replaced with larger ones with a higher spring rate to match the amount of suspension travel with the amount that will be used by the torsion bars.
And it does look way too low in the front for stock components. The steering arms look parallel to the ground, which means it probably is sitting on the stock lower bump stops.
Those are pretty short tires. At the factory ride height you'll have an air gap between the tops of the tires and the wheel openings. It was higher than stock before the rebuild, and lower than stock after. The rear is quite a bit higher than stock though too, and all those added leaf springs are probably making the rear spring rate too high as well. If you like the ride height in the back, you should consider getting a new set of springs. Something from ESPO with a +1" over the stock arch would probably be decent for you. That will keep the car at a similar ride height, while having the correct spring rate.
If you want the factory ride height in the front, here's the process for setting it. You want to use the info for the "V&L" car lines, those are for A-bodies. Ignore the alignment settings, you've got radials and those are for bias ply's. You'll want 0 to -.5* camber, as much positive caster as you can get (it'll only be +1 or +2* with factory bushings and components) and 1/16" to 1/8" toe in. You will need an alignment after you change the ride height.
Nope. Raising the front end with the torsion bars will add more suspension travel, not reduce it. It will not change the ride quality at all, beyond the handling changes due to the raised center of gravity. And if anything, it will be easier on the lower control arm bushings, because they'll be further away from the frame and less likely to ever make contact.
Exactly so. The wheel rate does not change when you raise or lower the car with the torsion bar adjusters. The only thing that becomes a problem is if you lower the car too much for the spring rate of the torsion bars, so the reduced travel means you hit the bump stops more frequently. Which itself can be interpreted as a harsh ride, even though what really needs to happen is the torsion bars need to be replaced with larger ones with a higher spring rate to match the amount of suspension travel with the amount that will be used by the torsion bars.
And it does look way too low in the front for stock components. The steering arms look parallel to the ground, which means it probably is sitting on the stock lower bump stops.
Those are pretty short tires. At the factory ride height you'll have an air gap between the tops of the tires and the wheel openings. It was higher than stock before the rebuild, and lower than stock after. The rear is quite a bit higher than stock though too, and all those added leaf springs are probably making the rear spring rate too high as well. If you like the ride height in the back, you should consider getting a new set of springs. Something from ESPO with a +1" over the stock arch would probably be decent for you. That will keep the car at a similar ride height, while having the correct spring rate.
If you want the factory ride height in the front, here's the process for setting it. You want to use the info for the "V&L" car lines, those are for A-bodies. Ignore the alignment settings, you've got radials and those are for bias ply's. You'll want 0 to -.5* camber, as much positive caster as you can get (it'll only be +1 or +2* with factory bushings and components) and 1/16" to 1/8" toe in. You will need an alignment after you change the ride height.
